Summary of my first six months in BJJ

**RhinoUP** · Posted On: 2/22/2013 2:03pm

Month 8 - This was a little bit of a breakthrough month for me. It all started when a very tough purple belt and I sparred during open mat. Since I started I always had a problem with being smothered. I hated being mounted, especially against a fellow heavyweight, and after not being able to get out after a few attempts, I would tap and restart. This ended when the purple belt Im speaking of informed me that if I tapped he wasn't stopping. He got mount and stayed there. I tapped,,,he stayed there...the buzzer rang...he stayed there...taunting me. Eventually during the 3rd six minute round, I felt a calm come over me...I was ok with it and began working different escapes. Reversed to guard and violla....we rolled for 2 more rounds ignoring the buzzer. This was HUGE for my progress. I feel that this led me to train harder...with lest rest...and remain calmer during rolling..conserving energy and exploding when necessary..It helped me in so many ways, that I cant really describe them. The claustrophobia is gone and when in a bad position, I'm no longer panicking. Big big big for my jiu jitsu. This was definitely the biggest breakthrough thus far and as a result, Sinistro gave me my third stripe last night after less than a month with 2. Competing in Long Island Pride this weekend. Any of you guys gonna be there?

**FatPies** · Posted On: 2/24/2013 9:57am

Good read, may I ask you how many hours a week you get to put into training? And how is your conditioning coming on?

**RhinoUP** · Posted On: 2/24/2013 7:09pm

My conditioning is much better than it was but not nearly as good as it should be. I've been training at least 4 days a week since I started. Sometimes six. So 5-10 hours a week. It's all I can do with full time career, wife, and 2 kids.

On a side note... I won my division at Long Island pride today:). Master/senior ultra heavyweight. Pretty pumped about it:).

**Mr.Miyagi** · Posted On: 2/24/2013 10:57pm

Originally Posted by RhinoUP

My conditioning is much better than it was but not nearly as good as it should be. I've been training at least 4 days a week since I started. Sometimes six. So 5-10 hours a week. It's all I can do with full time career, wife, and 2 kids.

On a side note... I won my division at Long Island pride today:). Master/senior ultra heavyweight. Pretty pumped about it:).

Congrats, man, that's great! Did you get it recorded at all to watch later and force your kids to watch over and over!? ;)

***battlefields*** · Posted On: 2/25/2013 1:20am

Well done, bro.

Three stripe white in 6 months? **** me. I must really suck.

**RhinoUP** · Posted On: 2/25/2013 7:28am

Battlefields...it's been 8 months and exactly 130 hours of mat time thus far, and im not even close. Probably about halfway there right now.

**Sang** · Posted On: 2/25/2013 7:38am

Originally Posted by RhinoUP

This was HUGE for my progress. I feel that this led me to train harder...with lest rest...and remain calmer during rolling..conserving energy and exploding when necessary..It helped me in so many ways, that I cant really describe them. The claustrophobia is gone and when in a bad position, I'm no longer panicking. Big big big for my jiu jitsu.

I get where you are coming from, this was one of my big breakthroughs too. A lot of beginners must quit before they get over that feeling.

Originally Posted by AKRhino

he guard can be a cruel mistress :P It's my happy place, my go to position, but, I don't usually throw subs from there. In guard, a failed sub is an invitation to pass.

I find that an inactive guard is an invitation to pass. As soon as i stop threatening with either sweep or submission its their turn to be the aggressor.

Originally Posted by battlefields

Well done, bro.

Three stripe white in 6 months? **** me. I must really suck.

I don't remember getting a single submission in my first 6 months.

**RhinoUP** · Posted On: 2/25/2013 9:09am

Here is one of my matches from this weekend...all criticism is welcome.

Thanks bruthas:) I'm in the black gi.

**FatPies** · Posted On: 2/25/2013 9:51am

You can put a lot of hours into it and it looks like it is paying off for you fella. Good video, you shift pretty well for a big guy. Was that a big error on his part leaving his arm exposed like that?

**RhinoUP** · Posted On: 2/25/2013 10:00am

Originally Posted by FatPies

You can put a lot of hours into it and it looks like it is paying off for you fella. Good video, you shift pretty well for a big guy. Was that a big error on his part leaving his arm exposed like that?

Yeah...he pretty much gave it to me.